Ammunition tracking system

ABSTRACT

A tracking system for ammunition cartridges where the cartridge casings are provided with serial indicia on an inside surface such that spent casing found at a crime scene can be tracked to the purchaser of the ammunition via a machine scannable system.

[0001] This application incorporates Provisional Patent Application No.60/209,788 filed Jun. 7, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to small arms ammunition and moreparticularly to a system that will enable investigative authorities tobetter solve crimes involving the discharge of firearms utilized withsuch ammunition. When firearms are utilized in the commission of acrime, the crime scene often includes spent ammunition casings. It wouldthus be desirable to be able to link those crime scene casings to theperson or persons committing such crime. Presently there areanti-diversion tracking systems referred to as ADTS which allowmanufacturers to trace products using overt and covert technologies frompoint of manufacture throughout the distribution chain. For instance,scannable indicia, codes including conventional bar codes can beincorporated into labels of many products such as cosmetics, shampoosand the likes in order to be able to trace the manufacturing andpurchase history of such articles for purposes of recall and policingunauthorized distribution. Accordingly, it would be desirable if thegeneral principles of such product tracking systems could be utilizedand modified to enable the tracking of ammunition cartridges such thatcrime scene firearms' casings could be traced to the last authorizedpurchaser of the ammunition cartridge from which the casing was part of.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is, accordingly, an objective of the present invention tomodify such anti-diversion tracking systems in a unique and unobviousmanner so as to achieve crime scene identification of spent ammunitioncasings. Such is accomplished by the present ammunition tracking systemwhich is designed to serialize ammunition cartridges in such a fashionas to be able to trace them from manufacturer, to distributor, to theretailer and finally to the final consumer or purchaser via a network ofcomputer terminals at the point of purchase. Such system places a numberor other unique identification on an interior surface of the cartridgecasing which indicia will be still visible after the cartridge is firedsuch that investigative personnel can visually identify such number orother indicia and utilize such to trace the ammunition to the purchaserand additionally place an optically readable code on the shell casingexterior surface such that it may be read by high speed optical scanningequipment so as to, in part, establish a manufacturing and distributionhistory of such cartridge. Such system would thus allow casings found atcrime scenes to be traced to the person who purchased them greatlyenhancing the ability of law enforcement agencies to quickly andconfidently solve crimes. These and other objectives of the presentinvention are accomplished by a small arms ammunition cartridgeincluding a casing having a cylindrical body having inner and outer wallsurfaces and opposed top and bottom ends wherein said bottom end isclosed by a bottom wall in turn having a top inner surface and a lowerouter surface, an explosive charge contained in the casing, a bulletattached to the top of the casing body and means for initiating theexplosive charge to fire the bullet, the improvement comprising amachine readable code on at least one of the outer wall surfaces of saidcasing and a unique indicia visible by the human eye on at least one ofsaid inner surfaces of said casing, said indicia identifying aparticular casing and said code including identification of saidindicia.

[0004] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shallbecome apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered inconnection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presentlycontemplated for carrying out the present invention:

[0006]FIG. 1 shows a single unit of small arms ammunition generallyreferred to as a cartridge;

[0007]FIG. 2 shows the cartridge shown in FIG. 1 in a disassembledformat showing the component parts thereof commonly referred to as an“exploded” view;

[0008]FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view on an enlarged scale of the cartridgeshown in FIG. 1;

[0009]FIG. 4 is a view of the interior portion of the shell casing takenalong the line 44 of FIG. 2;

[0010]FIG. 5 shows a laser-marking device imparting a machine-readablecode, e.g., in data matrix format, on the bottom of the casing shown inFIG. 1 and particularly on the outside surface of the primer portionthereof;

[0011]FIG. 6 shows a similar laser-etching device that is capable ofirnprintng a serialized number on the upper surface of the inside bottomwall of the cartridge casing;

[0012]FIG. 7 is a stylized view showing the progression of individualcartridges to packages thereof to a case and at each stage of theprocess being machine read for the purposes of the present invention;

[0013]FIG. 8 is the stylized view of the interior of an ammunition orgun store in which the outside barcode of an individual package ofcartridges is scanned and information taken as to the identity, etc. ofthe retail customer purchasing such;

[0014]FIG. 9 is a plan view of a crime scene; and

[0015]FIG. 10 is a slightly enlarged partial interior portion of a shellcasing in which the indicia imparted on the upper inner surface thereofis visible by the naked eye of the crime scene investigator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Several unique manners of achieving the results of the presentinvention have been devised. In one method (Method No. 1) the flat metalsheet stock (not shown) in the raw materials stage that is destined tobe formed into firearm cartridge shells (casings) may be provided with alaser reactive coating. Such coating may be applied to both sides of thestock wherein one side of the stock is destined to become the inside ofthe ultimately formed cartridge casing and the other side forming theoutside of such cartridge casing. This coating will enable an opticallaser to mark the stock on both opposed surfaces or at least the surfacedestined to become the inside of the cartridge as by etching or burningthrough selected areas thereof. This etching would take place atpredetermined intervals along the stock sheet metal to correspond tothose special areas, which will bear the indicia on the ultimatelyformed cartridge casing. Preferably the indicia on the cartridge shellinterior should be visible with the naked eye by the crime sceneinvestigator. The indicia destined to become the desired outside portionof the cartridge can be in code, that is, machine-readable, and as smallas one-millimeter square (see FIG. 3).

[0017] Coding by such laser etching of the top and bottom surfaces ofthe stock can occur simultaneously with impartation of matching numberseither visibly readable or encoded. Such a tracking number can take theform of a multiple digit number, e.g., a twelve digit number which wouldprovide the capability of tracking up to 999,999,999,999 individualcartridges per year. Following years could begin with a letter prefix(Example: A99,999,999,999). This method will provide a system wherein notwo cartridges could have the same tracking number for decades to come.In addition, prefixes or suffixes of numbers, letters or other indiciacould be provided for each different manufacturer.

[0018] In this first method of forming cartridge casings from stockalready provided with indicia as by the above-described laser etchingprocess, the top code or tracking number will become the inside of thecartridge which will enable humanly readable tracking of such number andthe bottom code will become the outside of the cartridge casing whichwill enable such to be machine readable in data matrix format ECC200.Such data matrix code format is, in essence, a two-dimensional barcodeand is utilized as the marking code of choice of many industries such ascomputer chip manufacturers to mark their small manufactured components.There are also a number of other barcodes including one-dimensionalbarcodes that may be utilized with this invention so as to not exclude asymbology that may be suited for this application including preprintedlabels to visibly readable inks—all of which including the laseretchable coding must be environmentally resistant to the condition ofuse, that is, the indicia applied to the cartridge shell's insidesurface must be capable of withstanding the explosive and burning forcesof the propellant upon firing, and the surface destined to become theoutside surface of the cartridge must be able to withstand environmentalconditions, e.g., temporary high temperature and normal abrasioncontact.

[0019] In a second method of coding, the cartridge primer, which may bemanufactured on site or supplied by a vendor, is coated with a laserreactive material or dark colored finish. The laser to produce amachine-readable code, e.g., data matrix format ECC200, will remove thismicro coating.

[0020] As the cartridges are assembled, the primer is placed in thebottom and seated into the cartridge casing. Prior to injecting theexplosive charge, e.g., gunpowder, into the cartridge casing, a machinevision system will read and decode the data matrix code previouslyformed by the laser on the primer. This information will then betranslated by computer software and sent to an online laser that willprint the humanly readable equivalent in two probable locations. Theselocations are inside the edge of the cartridge casing or on the bottominside surface of the cartridge casing. This number will be used tolocate the purchaser of the cartridge if the cartridge is involved in acrime. In this method, it would only be necessary to apply a laseretchable coating to that surface of the stock destined to form theinside surface of the cartridge or apply such coating to that surfaceafter the formation of the cartridge casing. The cartridge manufacturingprocess will continue as the explosive charge, e.g., gunpowder, is addedand the projectile is seated and crimped to the cartridge casing to formthe completed ammunition cartridge.

[0021] A third method applies the desired indicia after the primer hasbeen seated into the cartridge casing but before the cartridge is filledwith gunpowder. Two (2) lasers—one firing a data matrix on the outsidebottom of the primer and the second laser printing the humanly readableequivalent inside the rim or on the inside bottom of the cartridge areutilized. It is also possible to print, etch or otherwise apply themachine-readable code to the outside bottom surface of the cartridgecasing, that is, that surface surrounding the bottom surface of theprimer rather than on the primer itself. As stated before, an ink jetprinter could also print the machine-readable data matrix.

[0022] In the example set forth above, the completed ammunitioncartridge 10 is formed from a cartridge casing or shell 12, a primer 14usually a percussion activated explosive charge, the primary explosivecharge 16, e.g., gunpowder, that is placed in the casing and theprojectile bullet 20 which is attached to the casing after the gunpowderis inserted. The casing includes an elongated cylindrical body 22 openat the top end 24 thereof and including a smaller opening (not shown) atthe bottom wall 26 thereof. The cartridge primer 14 is generally in theform of a circular disc having opposed upper 28 and lower surfaces 30and is adapted to be crimped or otherwise attached to the casing bottomwall 26 while positioned in the opening thereof. The machine-readablebar matrix code is referred to by the reference numeral 40 while theindicia on the inside surface of the casing by the reference numeral 42.The commercially available lasers are referred to by the referencenumeral 44.

The Scanning and Labeling Process

[0023] As an example, the cartridges are then placed in a holder withthe primer 14 facing up, which would likely be an automated process.Before the holders with the coded cartridges are placed and sealed inthe retail package, a machine vision system will read and record theidentity of each cartridge. Such optical vision systems that are capableof reading and decoding as many as 100 individual data matrix codes atsimultaneously are commercially available. The software within the ATS(Ammunition Tracking System) system will then identify, process andassign the cartridges a unique package number. The package number isthen printed onto the side of the retail package 48, e.g., via an inkjet printer. The printed format could be a number of different types oflinear barcode 50 plus the humanly readable equivalent. This uniquepackage number may also be used to automatically print and apply thelabel. There is also the option of using a preprinted label. Suchpreprinted label would be applied to the package after the package hasbeen scanned by the machine vision system. All labels will then belinked to the cartridge identities inside the package. This number willlater be used to track to the ultimate consumer.

[0024] The building of shipping cases is also illustrated in FIG. 7. Asthe packages of completed cartridges are being packed, the packagebarcode 50 numbers are then scanned and the shipper case is built. TheAmmunition Tracking System (ATS) software program will store all packageidentifications being placed in the case. After a preset number ofpackages have been reached to complete the case, a linear barcode 52will be printed and applied to the case 54. This process may be doneautomatically. The Ammunition Tracking System is used to link thisshipper case barcode and all the cartridges contained within the case tothe distributor or retailer during shipment from the manufacturer.

[0025] A palette is built in the same fashion. After a preset number ofcases have been placed on a palette, the Ammunition Tracking System willassign and print a palette label. This palette label when scanned willlink every case, package and cartridge identification to itsdestination.

[0026]FIGS. 9 and 10 show in diagram format the manner in which theAmmunition Tracking System tracks the ammunition. When ammunition isshipped to a distributor or retailer, the manufacturer will normallygenerate an order and picking list from their existing system. Using adata collection device equipped with ammunition tracking software, themanufacturer will enter the retailer or distributor identificationnumber followed by the invoice number. (These steps are covered in depthby trained ammunition tracking personnel.) The order picker is thenprompted to scan the palettes and/or cases selected to fill said order.When the order is complete, the same procedure will be repeated to fillthe next order and so on. Scanning a palette or case will immediatelylink those particular cartridges in that palette or case to thereceiving retailer/distributor. At the end of the day or any scheduledtime/quantity interval, the data collectors are uploaded to the centraldatabase server of the Ammunition Tracking System that will continuallyupdate this offsite central database. The distributor shipping to theretailer would use the same shipping method utilized by the manufacturerto ship to a distributor.

[0027] How the Ammunition Tracking System is used to track cartridgesfrom the retailer to the consumer is as follows:

[0028] When the retailer sells any ammunition cartridges to a customer,the retailer will enter via the Ammunition Tracing System's directInternet link or onsite computer, the package identification numberand/or scan the tracking barcode 50 printed on the side of the package.The system will prompt the retailer to enter the customer's name, stateof residence and driver's license number along with any other pertinentinformation required by law. With the process complete, the cartridgeidentification numbers are now linked to the ultimate customer alongwith date, time and retailer of record. In the case of the direct onlineInternet connection, the transaction is instantly recorded. In the caseof the retailer using an onsite computer to collect the transactiondata, this computer will be polled at the end of each business day orother interval, and all transactions will be uploaded to the centralizeddatabase. The preferred system would be the instant online hookup.

Tracking Ammunition Involved In A Crime

[0029] Ammunition found at crime scenes are decoded by visibly lookinginto the interior bottom 30 or side 32 of the spent casing 12 to viewindicia 42. This humanly readable number is entered into the AmmunitionTracking System's central database by law enforcement agencies at thescene or some central location linked by telephone or computer.Immediately, the ammunition is then traced back to the customer whopurchased the ammunition along with the date and retailer of record aswell as all the pertinent information collected. This process may beaccomplished in two ways: 1) because the data is instant and in ahumanly readable form, officials at the scene are able to radio thecartridge identification number and thereby have a very strong leadwithin a short time period; 2) the cartridge casing would be returned tothe lab to perform the data trace.

[0030] The above-explained systems for utilizing the markings applied toan ammunition cartridge casing enable the objectives of the presentinvention to be carried out in a cost effective, relatively simplemanner. A key feature of the invention is not only the broad concept ofmarking cartridges for the purpose of tracing them to a purchase source,but also the concept of including a serial identification number on asurface of the cartridge casing which is hidden from the user and onlyvisible after the bullet is fired from a gun and that any attempt toalter such interior indicia would normally destroy the usefulness of theproduct.

[0031] While there is shown and described herein certain specificstructure embodying this invention, it will be manifest to those skilledin the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the partsmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theunderlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to theparticular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicatedby the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A small arms ammunition cartridge including a casing having a cylindrical body having inner and outer wall surfaces and opposed top and bottom ends wherein said bottom end is closed by a bottom wall in turn having a top inner surface and a lower outer surface, an explosive charge contained in the casing, a bullet attached to the top of the casing body and means for initiating the explosive charge to fire the bullet, the improvement comprising a machine readable code on at least one of the outer wall surfaces of said casing and a unique indicia visible by the human eye on at least one of said inner surfaces of said casing, said indicia identifying a particular casing and said code including identification of said indicia.
 2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein said indicia is a numeric identity.
 3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the explosive initiation means is a primer disc attached to said bottom wall, said primer having a bottom outer wall on which said code is positioned.
 4. The cartridge of claim 1, said casing formed of metal, a laser reactive coating thereon and said code and indicia formed by laser etching through said coating.
 5. The cartridge of claim 1, said indicia also readable by the human eye.
 6. The cartridge of claim 1, said code being in data matrix format.
 7. The method of tracking to the retail purchaser of small arms cartridge ammunition of the type having a hollow casing including outer and inner surfaces, a bullet projectile attached to the forward end of the casing, an explosive charge included in the interior of the casing and a primer to activate the charge comprising, providing an interior surface of the casing with a unique indicia visible by the human eye and providing an exterior surface of the casing with a machine-readable code wherein said indicia identifies a particular casing and said code includes identification of said indicia, machine reading the code of individual cartridges as part of the procedure to form retail sales packages thereof to create information to identify the individual cartridges in said retail package, utilizing said information to create a machine readable label containing said information, placing said label in the retail sales package and wherein the ammunition sales outlet clerk scans the label to create an information input identifying the purchaser of said package and thereafter inputting such purchaser information to an information storage facility thus linking that purchaser with individually identified cartridges which purchaser information may be accessed by inputting the unique indicia of individual casings into such storage facility.
 8. The tracking method of claim 7, wherein the indicia is numeric and serially applied to each successive casing formed.
 9. The tracking method of claim 8, wherein the indicia is readable by the human eye.
 10. The tracking method of claim 9, wherein the indicia includes a manufacturer specific secondary indicia marking.
 11. The tracking method of claim 7, wherein the indicia and code are formed by applying a laser reactive coating to surfaces of the casing and thereafter laser etching trough said coating.
 12. The tracking method of claim 7, wherein the code is in data matrix format. 